Recommendation spotlight: living with and beyond cancer

By
Rachel Clark

We are working on a booklet about diet and activity during cancer treatment.

Based on the available evidence, we recommend that, after treatment, people follow our cancer prevention recommendations, unless they are unable to do so or have been advised otherwise by a doctor, dietitian or specialist nurse.1

More and more people are surviving a cancer diagnosis now, thanks to improved treatments. In England and Wales, half of all people diagnosed with cancer in 2010–11 are predicted to survive for ten years or longer.

There is growing evidence that people who eat a healthy diet, are a healthy weight and are physically active have a lower risk of getting cancer again, and have an improved chance of survival, particularly following breast cancer.

If someone is receiving treatment for cancer, they’re likely to have special nutritional requirements. This is also true for those whose treatment has affected their ability to eat or digest some foods – for example, patients who have undergone a gastrectomy or a colostomy. In these cases, it’s best to ask a doctor, dietitian or specialist nurse for advice.

We are working on a booklet about diet and activity during cancer treatment to help people stay well and cope better with the common side-effects of their treatment.

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We are the UK’s leading cancer prevention charity. We fund global research into the links between diet, weight, physical activity and cancer. Our work empowers people to take action to lead healthier, happier, cancer-free lives.